How to Handle a Bad Interviewer

Everyone is unique and different in their own way. Interviewers, like job seekers, have different personalities. There are good and bad interviewers, and sometimes you will face a bad one. So, what should you do when faced with a bad interviewer? Below is a list of the types of bad interviewers and how you can turn the situation around.

Unprepared

The person in front of you looks like someone who didn’t even know that you were coming in for an interview. He has no clue as to who you are or what your background is. When faced with an interviewer who is unprepared, try leading the conversation by asking if you can tell them what you can do for them and why you are a great fit for the job.

Hostile

These are arguably the worst kind of interviewers anyone could ever face. These interviewers are individuals who do everything to make you feel bad about yourself. In these situations, it is important to keep your cool and remain calm. Do not let the interviewer’s personality get into your head, and be thankful that you found out about his personality before accepting a job there.

Distracted

This is the interviewer who does nothing but text, check e-mails, and look at the time as if they’d rather be somewhere else. It’s easy to succumb to your emotions because of the lack of attention the person is giving you, but don’t let his distractions be the cause of you not getting hired. Take control of the situation, and if that fails, ask the interviewer if another time would be more convenient.

Inept

This kind of interviewer is one that asks questions that are senseless or weird. Sometimes he will ask you questions that don’t seem to make any sense. When faced with this kind of interviewer, answer his questions, but put yourself in the driver’s seat by steering the interview toward questions about the job itself.

No one is perfect—everyone has his flaws. Don’t let bad interviewers keep you from getting that job!

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 40,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.